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A Century of Lawmaking for a New Nation: U.S. Congressional Documents and Debates, 1774-1875
Journals of the Continental Congress --WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 1780
A report from the Board of War was read; Whereupon,
Ordered, that Thomas Smith, commissioner of the continental loan in the State of Pensylvania, make sale of ten thousand dollars of the bills in his hands for continental currency, and furnish the same to Abraham Skinner, commissary of prisoners, to be distributed by him among the officers who are about to be exchanged.2
[Note 2: 2 In the margin, Charles Thomson noted: "Reconsidered, and report re-committed."]
Ordered, That it be re-committed.
On motion of the delegates for Maryland,
Ordered, That the Board of Treasury cause payment to be made of the bill drawn by Joseph Clay, deputy paymaster general for the southern department, on his excellency Thomas Sim Lee, Governor of Maryland, for thirty thousand dollars, in favour of Peter Mallet or order, dated Headquarters, Hillsborough, the 4 September, 1780, and charge the same to the account of the said Joseph Clay.
A report from the Board of Treasury was read; Whereupon,
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Ordered, That on the application of Mr. [William] Sharpe, one of the delegates for North Carolina, a warrant issue on the treasurer in his favour, for fifteen thousand dollars, for which the said State is to be accountable:
That on the application of Edward Chinn and John Wells Extra Commissioners of Accounts a Warrant issue on Abraham Yates Commissioner of the Continental Loan Office for the State of New York in their favour for six hundred dollars, in Bills of Credit emitted pursuant to the Act of Congress of the 18th. of March last, (part of the Bills aforesaid subject to the orders of Congress) to enable the said Commissioners to proceed on the execution of their duties of office and for which the aforesaid Edwd Chinn and John Wells are to be accountable.1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 133, IV, folio 631. It is indorsed: "Second part re-committed that the Board may report some other fund from which the money may be drawn for Messrs. Chinn and Wells."]
Ordered, That the remainder be postponed.
A letter, of 17, from the clerks in the Secretary's office, Board of War and Board of Treasury, was read:
Ordered, That it be referred to the committee on salaries.
A letter, of 18 July, from Governor Nash was read.2
[Note 2: 2 This letter, unsigned, is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 72, folio 93. It is a duplicate of the letter read August 14, 1780.]
Congress took into consideration the report of the committee on the letter, of 7 October, from General Washington; and after debate,
Ordered, That it be re-committed.
That Mr. [Whitmill] Hill be added to the committee.
Congress resumed the consideration of the report of the committee on Mr. Adams's letters; and the same being debated by paragraphs, was agreed to.
On the report of a committee to whom were referred the letters of 23d and 24th March last, from the honourable John Adams, minister plenipotentiary of the United States for negotiating a treaty of peace and a treaty of commerce with Great Britain,
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Resolved, That the said minister be informed, it is clearly the opinion of Congress that a short truce would be highly dangerous to these United States.
That if a truce be proposed for so long a period, or for an indefinite period, requiring so long notice previous to a renewal of hostilities as to evince that it is, on the part of Great Britain, a virtual relinquishment of the object of the war, and an expedient only to avoid the mortification of an express acknowledgment of the independence and sovereignty of these United States, the said minister be at liberty, with the concurrence of our ally, to accede thereto; provided, the removal of the British land and naval armaments from the United States be a condition of it.
That in case a truce shall be agreed on by the belligerent parties, Congress rely on his attention and prudence to hold up the United States to the world in a style and title not derogatory to the character of an independent and sovereign people.
That with respect to those persons who have either abandoned or been banished from any of the United States, since the commencement of the war, he is to make no stipulations whatsoever for their readmittance; and as to an equivalent for their property, he may attend to propositions on that subject only on a reciprocal stipulation, that Great Britain will make full compensation for all the wanton destruction which the subjects of that nation have committed on the property of the citizens of the United States.
That, in a treaty of peace, it is the wish of Congress not to be bound by any publick engagement to admit British subjects to any of the rights or privileges of citizens of the United States; but at all times to be at liberty to grant or refuse such favours, according as
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the publick interest and honour may dictate; and that it is their determination not to admit them to a equality in this respect with the subjects of his Most Christian Majesty, unless such a concession should be deemed by the said minister preferable to a continuance of the war on that account.1
[Note 1: 1 These resolutions were entered only in the manuscript Secret Journal, Foreign Affairs. They are printed in the Diplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution (Wharton), IV, 100.]
Congress took into consideration the resolution reported for setting apart a day of thanksgiving and prayer, and agreed to the following draught:
Whereas2 it hath pleased Almighty God, the Father of all mercies, amidst the vicissitudes and calamities of war, to bestow blessings on the people of these states, which call for their devout and thankful acknowledgments, more especially in the late remarkable interposition of his watchful providence, in rescuing the person of our Commander in Chief and the army from imminent dangers, at the moment when treason was ripened for execution; in prospering the labours of the husbandmen, and causing the earth to yield its increase in plentiful harvests; and, above all, in continuing to us the enjoyment of the gospel of peace;
[Note 2: 2 From this point the entries are by Thomas Edison.]
It is therefore recommended to the several states to set apart Thursday, the seventh day [of December next, to be observed as a day of public thanksgiving and prayer; that all the people may assemble on that day to celebrate the praises of our Divine Benefactor; to confess our unworthiness of the least of his favours, and to offer our fervent supplications to the God of all grace; that it may please him to pardon our heinous transgressions and incline our hearts for the future to keep all his laws that it may please him still to afford us the blessing of health; to comfort and relieve our brethren who are any wise afflicted or distressed; to smile upon our husbandry and trade and establish the work of our hands; to direct our publick councils, and lead our forces, by land and sea, to victory; to take our illustrious ally under his special protection, and favor our joint councils and exertions for the establishment of speedy and permanent peace; to cherish all schools and seminaries of education, build up his churches
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in their most holy faith and to cause the knowledge of Christianity to spread over all the earth.
Done in Congress, the lath day of October, 1780, and in the fifth year of the independence of the United States of America.]1
[Note 1: 1 This report is in the Papers of the Continental Congress, No. 24, folio 455. It is in the writing of James Duane, except the portion in brackets, which is in the writing of Samuel Adams. From this point Charles Thomson resumes the entries.]
Adjourned to 10 o'Clock to Morrow.
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